The present invention relates generally to drawbars for wreckers or “snatch” trucks and, more particularly, to a roller-drawbar with arms for lifting providing for free rotation of lifted drive-wheels.
The background information discussed below is presented to better illustrate the novelty and usefulness of the present invention. This background information is not admitted prior art.
From time to time, vehicles must be moved by external force or without the assistance of a driver for the vehicle. These situations may arise when automobiles become disabled due to, for example, mechanical or electrical malfunctions. At other times, automobiles may be deemed to be parked illegally. At still others, repossession of the automobile may be desired by a creditor due to lack of payment or otherwise.
Towing vehicles is never easy, but some tow jobs are more challenging than others. In many states, creditors can seize (repossess) a vehicle as soon as the purchaser defaults on the loan or lease. “Repo” towing (towing for repossession) presents a unique set of challenges that may pose serious dangers to the repro driver. Repo drivers (also referred to as “recovery agents” or “adjusters” in the trade) work long hours for uncertain pay. Repro drivers often work on commission and are paid only if the car is repossessed. Once a car to be repossessed is located, the repro driver waits until it is left unattended before starting the repossession procedure. Repo agents often must work in areas in which the purchasers of the vehicle to be repossessed live. This means that the neighborhoods could be of lower income and sometimes rough requiring repo agents to always be aware of their surroundings. People who know their vehicle is to be repossessed often hide their car or block it in using other vehicles, making it difficult, if not impossible to repossess the car. When there is contact between a Repo-drive and a debtor, the debtor is often angry and can be physically intimidating and may even become violent as their property is being repossessed. Thus, repo towing can be dangerous because the purchasers often will go to some length to keep their vehicle outside of the repossesser's reach. It is known that Repo men suffer blows, kicks, knife and even gunshot wounds from angry debtors. In the United States, one or two repo men are killed each year while on the job making it easy to understand why repo-drivers want to repossess a vehicle as quickly as possible and want to avoid getting out of the towing vehicle, if they can. Some states require that all repossessions happen without creating a “breach of the peace,” which means that if the owner notices that repossession is in progress and comes out of the house and makes a scene, the repo-driver cannot legally repossess the car.
Repossessing a car usually entails towing the repossessed vehicle to an impoundment area. Towing vehicles, however, can be problematic. One option is to use what is referred to as a “tow bar”. One example of a tow bar is a rigid set of bars in the shape of a triangle that connects the vehicle being towed to the towing vehicle. The use of a tow bar results in all of the four wheels of the towed vehicle rolling on the ground surface for the duration of the tow. This means that precautions will have to be taken to protect the transmission because if the drive wheels of a towed vehicle remain on the ground during towing, there is a risk of severely damaging the gear system of the transmission.
To protect damage to the gear system, the simplest solution is to use a flatbed trailer to haul the vehicle so that all four wheels are kept off of the ground. With this technique, there's no need to worry about transmission damage. You just load up the car or truck and go. If it is not possible to use a flatbed other options will have to be considered. Another method used by the towing industry is to use ‘tow dollies’ to recover vehicles. A tow dolly is designed to be coupled to an automobile's powered wheels. The drive wheels, whether the front wheels of a front-wheel drive automobile, or the rear wheels of a rear-wheel drive automobile are locked onto the tow dolly's tray and the tow dolly is hitched to a tow truck.
The technique more used today employs a wrecker that tows vehicles by lifting either the front or rear wheels off the ground. More modern types of wreckers include “underlift” or “wheel-lift” wreckers. An underlift wrecker engages and lifts the vehicle to be towed at its frame members, whereas a wheel-lift wrecker engages and lifts front or rear wheels of the vehicle to be towed. Wheel-lift wreckers often employ a telescoping or folding main crossbar element attached to the rear of the truck and extend rearwardly from or out beyond the truck's rear deck. The crossbar element represents the main lifting or leverage component for lifting one end of the vehicle to be towed. Such wreckers also use an apparatus for engaging and holding the front or rear wheels of the vehicle to be towed. The wheel engaging apparatus (wheel cradle) typically includes a crossbar (also referred to as a “wheel boom”) pivotally attached to the end of a tow bar or main boom, and wheel retainers or lifting arms for engaging the wheels of the vehicle to be towed. When positioning the system for towing, the crossbar is maneuvered into a position against the tread of the tires and the lifting arms are then locked into a position securing the tires in place against the crossbar.